Camera at the Mart: forward store sales steal weanling limelight in Skibbereen

Weanlings were the headline attraction in Skibbereen Mart’s sale on Friday last, but it was difficult to ignore the trade for forward cattle and cows.

Factory agents continued to drive demand for heavy cattle across the adult stock classes.

This increased activity by online and ringside bidders meant mart manager Keith Mullaney was extremely pleased with how things went.

“Feeding cows are an especially good trade. I don’t know what price they’ll be in a month’s time if they keep up this pace. Non-quality assured cattle are wanted too. I could sell a lot of them if I had them.”

About 120 cows went through the ring and demand was strongest for forward cows. Well-fleshed suckler cows led the way with up to €2.30/kg available and the upper end of trade for Friesian cows saw them break €2/kg. Even at the lower end of the scale, feeder cows were making €80 to €100 with their weight.

Sale

In the bullock and heifer sale, continentals made up to and over €3/kg, with heavy Angus-cross cattle on their coattails. They sold for €2.80/kg to €2.90/kg, with the top end of the Hereford crosses a few cent/kg behind them.

Traditionally a quiet time of year on the weanling front, this is the second year where the west Cork mart has had a special weanling sale early in the year and given the success of it, another one is being pencilled in for late February.

“We’ll go again in a month’s time,” said Keith. “Things went well, we had 140 weanlings and a 99% clearance there, so that’s always a good sign.”

Exporters were very active for bulls from 330kg to 400kg and they picked up most of the coloured stock in that weight range.

Most that were U grade potential made over €3/kg, with a top price of €3.42/kg for weanling bulls in that weight category. Those with R grade potential sold from €2.60/kg up and a few broke the €3/kg mark too. Prices were similar at the other end of the weight spectrum for lighter calves from 250kg to 300kg. Bulls over 400kg were scarce and made from €2.75/kg to over €3/kg.